More Dental Clinics Than Convenience Stores... Tokyo Dental College Merges with Keio University

Keio University Becomes First Japanese Comprehensive University to Have All Four Medical Faculties

▲Keio University campus view

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Asahi Shimbun reported on the 27th that Keio University, a famous private university in Japan, and Tokyo Dental College are planning a merger. As the popularity of dental schools declines in Japan, where there are many dental clinics, small dental colleges are seeking mergers with prominent universities.

According to the report, Keio University and the Faculty of Dentistry at Tokyo Dental College will integrate and be reborn as the Faculty of Dentistry at Keio University in April 2023.

Tokyo Dental College proposed this integration plan on the 6th of this month, and Keio University reviewed it and decided to start merger discussions at the Board of Trustees, the highest decision-making body, on the 26th.

If the merger proceeds successfully, Keio University will become the first comprehensive university to have all four medical-related faculties: medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry.

This merger initiative arose as Japan faces a situation where the supply of dentists is abundant while the population is declining, causing dental schools to worry about their survival.

The board stated that there are more dental clinics in Japan than convenience stores, to the extent that concerns have been raised about an excessive number of dentists.

Some dental schools are experiencing under-enrollment due to high tuition fees.

Currently, both Tokyo Dental College and Keio University are securing students stably, but considering demographic trends, it is clear that the school-age population will decrease, and Asahi reported that there is a view that Tokyo Dental College may face difficulties in securing students in the future.

Considering the overall situation, it appears similar to Keio University effectively taking over the core faculty of Tokyo Dental College.

Tokyo Dental College was founded in 1890 under the name Takayama Dental Medical Institute and is Japan's first dental education institution. Including graduate and junior college (technical college) students, the total enrollment as of May this year is 1,139.